The Texas governor travels to the far reaches of Iowa in order to get one more vote.
If Texas Governor Rick Perry has been missing at home, it is probably because he is so busy in Iowa. Unlike the last presidential election, when Perry was late to start campaigning, the 2016 hopeful has been slowly building his base for years.
“Nobody came to Iowa more in 2014 than I did,” said Perry, speaking at a Pizza Ranch in Sioux Center this past week. “And I will suggest to you that will probably be the case in 2015. If somebody is going to spend more time in Iowa than I am, they better bring their lunch.”
Perry has made a point to venture to remote locations of the state- off the well beaten track of other candidates. Senator Rick Santorum used the same approach in 2012.
“I think it’s a good strategy,” said Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad. “It’s not a bad strategy to be kind of under the radar and just kind of build.”
Yet, Perry has not yet announced that he intends to run for president. Perhaps he has visited Iowa over a dozen times, in addition to taking a number of trips to New Hampshire and South Carolina, because he enjoys spending time in these states.
In 2012, Perry was a front running candidate until a string of gaffes and seeming incompetence resulted him finishing last in the early state primaries. Most notably, the live debate when he forgot the three government agencies he wanted to shut down if elected. Perry left the race after finishing fifth in Iowa and sixth in New Hampshire.
“I hadn’t spent the time and the preparations that I should have,” said Perry.
Perry hopes to sway voters with his governor’s record in Texas. The state has low taxes and minimal regulation. Indeed, Texas has seen a large population increase and steady job growth during Perry’s three terms as governor. However, the state also has the highest number of people without any health insurance. Moreover, falling oil prices could mean the Texan economy is not as sound as it appears.
“I don’t just talk about ‘here’s what I would do,’ but I say ‘here’s what I’ve done,'” he said. “This is going to be a show-me, don’t-tell-me election. Executive experience has been what’s been missing out of the White House.”
